I love Dahlias and the colour they bring to the beds in late summer and autumn. I plant them where the tulips are in spring and take them up each winter. They can work together because Dahlias are planted shallow whereas tulips like to be deep. I start them in the greenhouse in March/April when I've started clearing the seedlings and have room. I have tried many and prefer single flowered ones, cactus, and small pompoms. The dinner plate varieties are usually too big for their stems. My favourites include orange single 'Moonfire', pink cactus 'Park Princess', deep red/purple cactus 'Chat Noir', burgundy pompom 'Downham Royal', orange pompom 'New Baby', orange cactus 'Ludwig Helfert', purple cactus 'Black Wizard', and the various 'Bishops' with their dark foliage and striking single flowers.